Nick Cannon Reveals 'My Children Fear Police,' Admits It's 'Hurtful' To Discuss Police Brutality With Them

This is a very tough, but very necessary conversation.

In a new interview, star host and performer Nick Cannon opens up about the “stay alive talk” he’s had with his children when it comes to interactions with the police. And even though his kids are very young — 9-year-old twins Monroe and Moroccan Scott, and 3-year-old son Golden — police brutality and the dangers presented by law enforcement are still very much a real concern.

The 39-year-old father spoke to Access Hollywood about the whole issue, opening up in great detail about his family’s difficult and disjointed past with law enforcement in saying (below):

“I say this in all sincerity. I even got some pushback for this, which I don’t care what people think about me or what they say about me, but I made a statement that my children fear police. And it’s a real statement. I try to teach fearlessness. I try to teach that you have a power within you that you need to fear nothing. But when they see the energy of law enforcement, it’s, ‘Uh, oh, here comes the police!’ Or that mindset of, ‘Sit up straight! Don’t talk! Keep your hands where they can see them!’ These are things that I’m talking to a three-year-old about or a nine-year-old about and they bring those questions to me.”

Wow. At three years old, no less… just goes to show the nationwide concerns about policing and racial justice here are very much real and authentic.

Cannon goes on to admit one of his children formerly wanted to be a police officer in the recent past, though that desire quickly wore away with age:

“There was an idea where one wanted to be a police officer, ‘Aw man, I want to help and protect and serve people!’ It has definitely changed where they perpetuate fear, man. It’s something that, it’s hurtful to have those conversations with your children but you want to protect them at the end of the day.”

Wow. Talk about being VERY real about an incredibly tough and terrifying family situation…

Cannon, who holds a degree in Criminology from Howard University, went further with his own personal experiences with the police, as well. And it sounds like he’s got some ideas for how to change things for the better, too:

“I’ve never called the police in my life because our family was afraid to call the police. And that was from a child growing up going, ‘Uh oh, the police showed up!’ It wasn’t about safety. Someone was in trouble. Someone’s gonna go to jail because the police were called. When we see the police in our neighborhood, it’s never been a good experience.”

“I’m an abolitionist. We gotta get rid of law enforcement all together and start over. Get rid of the word ‘policing.’ How about we call them peace officers? How about we put together some psychological evaluations of the people that we put in charge of protecting and serving us? It needs to be much more than just a high school degree and an urge to have a badge and a gun.”

“Let’s empower these individuals who want to be in law enforcement with the right surroundings, with clarity, with spiritual advisers, with people who they can rely on daily that can hold them accountable when they are in these streets protecting and serving.”

That’s very thoughtful, and potentially a very good idea for when it comes to re-training officers to de-escalate tough situations out on the streets.

Here is the full interview from Access Hollywood, for those interested:

Amen, Nick!

It’s certainly a difficult topic — especially for such small children — but having these conversations at home and in the public sphere is both necessary and helpful if we’re ever going to change the world for the better. Here, here!

Reactions, Perezcious readers?

Sound off with your take on this tough issue down in the comments (below)…

[Image via WENN/Instar]